Pulverizing earth and rock drilling head



Jan. 24, 1967 s. A. KARLSEN 3,299,972

PULVERIZING EARTH AND ROCK DRILLING HEAD Filed May 21, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 45 .z z Z/ INVENTOR 5. AKA/P456 2175M FM ATTORNEY Jan. 24, 1967 s. A. KARLSEN PULVERIZING EARTH AND ROCK DRILLING HEAD s ShetsSheet 3 Filed May 21, 1964 ATTORNEY This invention relates to a drilling head for use with a boring machine primarily adapted for drilling under highways and railroads, for underground installations for water, gas, and sewerage, but which is also well adapted for vertical drilling.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a drilling head capable of drilling a round hole through a group of boulders some of which are struck head center while others of which are cut only on a side, to produce a straight round role through the boulders to receive a pipe.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drilling head which will pulverize small rock, which can drill through solid rock or through large boulders without requiring blasting and which will reduce all such formations encountered, and in either horizontal or vertical drilling, to a size and density that the drillings can be removed by ordinary methods.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a drilling head which may be utilized as :a concrete or asphalt cutting or pulverizing tool or for demolishing tree stumps or concrete and masonry structures.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings illustrating a presently preferred emobid-ment thereof, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary plan or elevational view partly in section of the drill;

FIGURE 2 is a substantially central longitudinal sectional view of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, of the drilling head, taken substantially .along the line '33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view partly in section of the drilling head, taken substantially along the line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view partly in elevation, showing a part of the drilling head collapsed and in a retracted position;

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 7-7 of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary cross sectional vie-w taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 8-8 of FIGURE 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the drilling head in its entirety and comprising the invention is designated generally 10, and includes a yoke 11 having arms 12 and 13 which project from a base portion 14 of said yoke.

A rigid tube 15 has a disc 16 affixed to and disposed across one end thereof Screw fastenings 17 project outwardly through the base 14 and are anchored in the disc 16 for securing the outer side of the disc against the outer side of the base 14, for positioning the tube 15 substantially in axial alignment with the yoke 11.

The tube 15 extends longitudinally through a cylindrical housing 18 which has a plurality of longitudinally and circumferentially spaced outwardly projecting studs 19, which are welded or otherwise secured thereto, as seen at 20. The outer ends of the studs 19 bear against the interior surface of a cylindrical casing 21 to retain the housing 18 concentrically within said casing and also supports an arm 44 of each set of arms.

of the set 42 are disposed between the discs 35 and Patented Jan. 24, 1967 ice for maintaining the yoke 11 in alignment with the easing. The housing 18 has an enlarged forward end 22 which abuts against the inner side of the disc 16. An anti-friction bearing 23 is disposed within housing portion 22 for journaling the forward end of the tube 15, and an antifriction bearing 24 is contained in an opposite rear end of the housing 18 for journaling said tube near its other, externally threaded rear end 25 which protrudes from the rear end of the housing 18, Thus, the housing 18, including its antifriction bearings 23 and 24, provides a journal for the yoke 11 and tube 15 which are connected by the fastenings 17 to revolve as a unit, as will hereinafter be described, and said housing 18 is in turn supported by the casing 21 and is maintained thereby against rotation with said yoke and tube. A pair of nuts 26 engage the threaded tube end 25, the inner one of which abuts or substantially abuts the antifriction bearing 24 in the rear end of the housing 18.

The yoke arms 12 and 13' have opposed inwardly opening recesses defining turbine housings 27 each containing a hub 28 and a plurality of vanes 29 which extend radially from the hub 28 to the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the housing 27 The open inner side of each turbine housing 27 is closed by a disc 30 having a central opening 31 for a shaft 32. The shaft 32 extends between the arms 12 and 13 and through the hubs 28 of the turbines, designated generally 33 and 34, respectively, of said arms.

Three discs 35, 36 and 37 have central openings 38 through which the shaft 32 extends, and spacing sleeves 39 are mounted on said shaft between said discs. A spline 40 keys the discs 35, 36 and 37 and the hubs 28 of the two turbines '33 and 34 to the shaft 32 so that said parts revolve as a unit.

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated, four pins 41 extend through the three discs 35, 36 and 37 and are spaced equal distances from the shaft 32 and from one another as illustrated in FIGURES 3, 5 and 6. The pins 41 support two sets 42 and 43 of bit carrying arms 44, each including four arms. Each pin The arms 44 36 and the arms of the set 43 are disposed between the discs 36 and 37, and each of said arms is capable of individual swinging movement on the pin to which it is connected as illustrated in FIGURE 2. The arms 44 have restricted threaded stems 45 defining the outer ends thereof on each of which is threadedly mounted a drilling bit 46; however, other forms of drilling bits may be utilized and may be secured in various other ways to the outer ends of the bit supporting arms. When threadedly mounted as illustrated in FIGURE 2, the bits 46 may be welded sufficieutly to the arms to prevent the bits from becoming detached while in use.

The ends of the shaft 32 are journaled by antifriction bearings 47 contained in caps 48 which are secured by screw fastenings 49 in outwardly opening recesses 50 of the yoke arms 12 and 13. A ring 51 provides a seal around the shaft 32 between each turbine and the cap 48 which is disposed adjacent thereto.

A passage, designated generally 52, is formed in the yoke 11 and includes an inlet end 53 which is formed in the base 14 and centrally thereof and which opens outwardly of the outer side of said base into a central opening 54 of the disc 16. Inlet port 53 connects with two branches 55 and 56 which extend in opposite directions to one another across the base 14 and into the arms 12 and 13, respectively.

The branch passage 55 extends outwardly of the arm 12, as seen in FIGURE 3, and discharges into the turbine chamber 27 of said arm, through a part of the periphery thereof which is located adjacent the base 14, in a direction general-1y clockwise of said turbine. The outer side wall 67 of the turbine chamber 27 of the arm 12 has an outlet port 57 opening to the atmosphere and which is arcuately spaced approximately 80 clockwise from the point where the branch passage 55 discharges into the turbine 33. As viewed in FIGURE 3, the branch passage 55 discharges into the turbine 33 at what is the equivalent of 7 oclock, considering the turbine as if it were a clock, and the outlet 57 is located at a 9 oclock position.

As seen in FIGURE 4 and in dotted lines in FIGURE 3, the other branch passage 56 after extending away from the branch passage 55 initially turns laterally in the base 14 and then extends upwardly in the arm 13 and partially counterclockwise (FIGURE 4) around the exterior of the turbine 34. The branch passage 56, as illustrated in FIGURE 4, discharges downwardly into the turbine chamber 27 of the turbine 34 through its peripheral wall, approximately at a position corresponding to 11 oclock and in a counterclockwise direction. The outer side wall 68 of the chamber 27 of turbine 34 has an outlet 58 located at a 9 oclock position, as viewed in FIGURE 4, and which would be a 3 oclock position, as seen in FIGURE 3, so that the outlets 57 and 58 discharge in opposite directions.

A rigid conduit or pipe 59 extends through the tube 15 and has a discharge end 59' secured in the opening 54 and communicatiing with inlet port 53. A swivel connection 60 connects the other end of the conduit 59 to a hose 61. The swivel connection 60 is preferably located just beyond the end of the tube 15. A cutting shoe 62 is secured removably in any suitable manner around a forward end of the casing 21 and extends beyond said forward end. The forward ends of the casing 21 and cutting shoe 62 are internally bevelled, as seen at 63, to form a cutting edge 64 at the forward end of the shoe 62.

Drilling head 10 may operate in either a horizontal or a vertical position and may be assumed to be in a horizontal position in FIGURES 1 and 2. Air under pressure is supplied from any suitable source, not shown, through the hose 61 and swivel joint 60 to the conduit 59 from which the air discharges into the inlet 53 of the passage 52. The compressed air passes through both branches 55 and 56 of the passage 52. The air discharges from the branch passage 55 against the vanes 29 of the turbine 33 for revolving said turbine clockwise, as seen in FIG- URE 3, after which the air escapes through the exhaust port 57. The compressed air discharges from the branch passage 56 against the vanes 29 of the turbine 34 for turning said turbine counterclockwise, as seen in FIG- URE 4, after which the air escapes through the discharge port 58. Since FIGURE 4 is looking in the opposite direction to FIGURE 3, both turbines are driven in the same direction for revolving the shaft 32 and the two sets of drilling bits 42 and 43 in the same direction, clockwise as indicated by the arrows 65 in FIGURES 3 and 5, or counterclockwise, as indicated by the arrows 65 in FIGURE 4. The compressed air exhausting from two turbine discharge ports 57 and 53 will cause the drilling head 10, including the yoke 11 and the parts carried thereby, to revolve in a direction as indicated by the arrows 66 in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4, about the axis of the conduit 59 and the tube 15, and which parts, together with the flange 16, revolve with the yoke 12 in the journal afforded by the housing 18 and its antifriction bearings 23 and 24. The housing is held against rotation with the yoke 12 by frictional engagement of the outer ends of the studs 19 with the casing 21. Said housing 18 and the studs 19 additionally maintain the rotating parts centered relative to the axis of the casing 21.

It will be noted that the diameters of the two drilling sets or units 42 and 43, as measured between the extremities of the diametrically aligned bits 46 thereof, is greater than the outer diameter of the cutting shoe 62, so that the hole cut by the drilling bits 46 will be of greater diameter than the shoe 62, to enable said shoe and the casing 21 to follow the drilling head 10 through the hole being bored thereby.

Additionally, it will be noted that the bits 46 of the drilling unit 43 are located nearer the longitudinal center line of the drilling head 10 than the bits 46 of the drilling unit 42. Consequently, the :bits 46 of the drilling unit 42 revolving in the direction as indicated by the arrows 65 and being spaced further from the longitudinal axis of the drilling head 10 than the bits 46 of the unit 43 additionally function to cause the drilling head 10 to revolve about its longitudinal axis, in the direction indicated by the arrows 66, by the resistance afforded by the formation being cut to the rotation of the unit 42.

Each of the bit supporting arms 44 is swingably mounted on one of the shafts 41 so that said arms can yield away from their direction of rotation when striking a very solid part of the formation, after which such bit arms will be swung back to an extended radial position, as seen in FIGURES 1 to 5, by centrifugal force, preparatory to again striking the formation after passing through the yoke.

The arms 44 are capable of swinging through arcs of approximately on the pins 41, so that when the air supply is shut off the bit arms can assume collapsed positions, as seen in FIGURE 6, to permit the removal of the drilling head 10 from right to left of FIGURE 6 through the casing 21, for replacing bits 46 without removal of the casing 21 from the hole being drilled. Additionally, when air or water is utilized to remove the sized material from the casing 21, the compact construction of the drilling head 10 permits an unobstructed view of said drilling head and the interior of the casing for checking the alignment of the drill without removing the drilling head from the casing. The drill is capable of being used with boring machines having hollow shank angers since it will pulverize boulders to a size that auger flights can handle in connection with either horizontal or vertical drilling.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated anl may be resorted to, without departing from the function or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A drill comprising a yoke, journal means supporting said yoke for rotation about the longitudinal axis thereof, a shaft journaled in said yoke crosswise thereof and of its axis of rotation, a plurality of drilling bits, means connecting said drilling bits to said shaft for rotation therewith, said means supporting the drilling bits concentrically around and radially spaced outwardly from the shaft, a turbine mounted in a part of said yoke and including a wheel fixed to said shaft, and means for supplying a fluid medium under pressure to said turbine for revolving the shaft and drill bits, said turbine having a discharge port opening to the atmosphere and disposed such that the discharge of the fluid medium therefrom will revolve said yoke about its longitudinal axis.

2. A drill comprising a yoke, journal means supporting said yoke for rotation about the longitudinal axis thereof, a shaft journaled in said yoke crosswise thereof and of its axis of rotation, a plurality of drilling bits, means connecting said drilling bits to said shaft for rotation therewith, said means supporting the drilling bits concentrically around and radially spaced outwardly from the shaft, a turbine mounted in a part of said yoke and including a wheel fixed to said shaft, and means for supplying a fluid medium under pressure to said turbine for revolving the shaft and drill bits, said bits including two sets of bits, the bits of one of said sets being disposed a greater distance from the longitudinal axis of the yoke than the bits of the other set whereby the leverage exerted by the bits of said first mentioned set in striking a formation being drilled will revolve the yoke about its longitudinal axis.

3. A drill comprising a yoke, journal means supporting said yoke for rotation about the longitudinal axis thereof, a shaft journaled in said yoke crosswise thereof and of its axis of rotation, a plurality of drilling bits, means connecting said drilling bits to said shaft for rotation therewith, said means supporting the drilling bits concentrically around and radially spaced outwardly from the shaft, a turbine mounted in a part of said yoke and including a wheel fixed to said shaft, and means for supplying a fluid medium under pressure to said turbine for revolving the shaft and drill bits, a rigid tube aflixed to a base end of said yoke, extending therefrom and disposed axially thereof, said journal means including an elongated cylindrical housing through which said tube extends, and said housing having antifriction bearing means rotatably supporting the tube axially of the housing, a cylindrical casing surrounding said housing and having a forward end from which the yoke projects, longitudinally and circumferentially spaced studs projecting radially from the housing and contacting the inner surface of said casing for supporting the housing and yoke axially of the casing.

4. A drill as in claim 3, the maximum cross sectional dimension of the yoke being less than the internal diameter of said casing for movement of the yoke through the casing, said drill bits including diametrically aligned pairs of bits having extremities spaced apart a distance greater than the outer diameter of the casing for drilling 3 a hole larger than the casing, and said bit supporting means swingably mounting the drill bits about axes dis posed parallel to the axis of said shaft for swinging movement of the drill bits relative to said supporting means, when the shaft is not driven by the turbines, to permit movement of the drill bits with the yoke through said casing.

5. A drill comprising an elongated head, journal means supporting the head for rotationabout the longitudinal axis thereof, a shaft journaled in the head and crosswise thereof, a plurality of bits, means supporting the bits concentrically around the shaft and radially spaced therefrom, a turbine mounted in the head including a wheel fixed to the shaft, and means supplying a fluid under pressure to the turbine for revolving the shaft and drill bits, said drill bits being offset from the longitudinal axis of the head whereby the leverage exerted by the bits in striking a formation being drilled will revolve the head about its longitudinal axis.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 875,664 12/1907 Karns -325 X 1,388,496 8/1921 Wadsworth 175-319 X 1,753,339 4/1930 Hencken 175-96 1,905,165 4/1933 Fletcher 175-107 2,184,066 12/1939 Zublin 175-96 X 2,680,486 6/1954 Carpenter 175-107 X ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Examiner.

R. E. FAVREAU, Assistant Examiner. 

5. A DRILL COMPRISING AN ELONGATED HEAD, JOURNAL MEANS SUPPORTING THE HEAD FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF, A SHAFT JOURNALED IN THE HEAD AND CROSSWISE THEREOF, A PLURALITY OF BITS, MEANS SUPPORTING THE BITS CONCENTRICALLY AROUND THE SHAFT AND RADIALLY SPACED THEREFROM, A TURBINE MOUNTED IN THE HEAD INCLUDING A WHEEL FIXED TO THE SHAFT, AND MEANS SUPPLYING A FLUID UNDER PRESSURE TO THE TURBINE FOR REVOLVING THE SHAFT AND DRILL BITS, SAID DRILL BITS BEING OFFSET FROM THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE HEAD WHEREBY THE LEVERAGE EXERTED BY THE BITS IN STRIKING A FORMATION BEING DRILLED WILL REVOLVE THE HEAD ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS. 